History

A late medieval open hall-house with storeyed solar, dating from the late C15 (1480-1520). The whole house was extensively remodelled in the C17 when the hall was given an upper floor and the building extended to the NW and a new wing built to SE. The NE gable was probably rebuilt at this time, and the screens passage and the lower service rooms of the hall-house demolished. The fireplace in the hall is C17 but may incorporate the lateral fireplace of the original medieval hall.
On 10 May 1664,The Court was purchased by Sir Thomas Morgan, the distinguished Parliamentary officer who helped to capture Chepstow, Hereford and later Raglan Castles. As one of General Monck's aides he subsequently played a part in the Restoration and spent the last fourteen years of his life as Governor of Jersey.

Cider house, granary and stable range, probably C17 but may have earlier origins.

Exterior

Thinly coursed rubble stone; slate roof. NW elevation has large projecting stone chimneystack with diagonally set brick flues. Left of stack, on ground floor, is a late C15 2-light stone transom window with trefoils to head and panelled tracery: upper lights grooved for glass, lower lights rebated for shutters; external iron bars. First floor has C20 3-light ovolo mullion window. Right of stack is single storey outshut with C20 windows (l to r); a 2-light transom, then two casements, a C20 boarded door and lastly a broad 3-light window. NE gable has ovolo moulded mullions with dripstones: C20 3-light mullion to attic, with C17 4-light mullion to first floor and C17 5-light to ground floor. C20 metal framed, glazed, double doors to left. Gable of SE wing has a blocked opening in upper gable, a C20 3-light mullion with skewback lintel and keystone on first floor, and a C17 4-light ovolo mullion with similar lintel on ground floor. Set back (to left) is rear wall of the hall. First floor (l to r) has a 2-light camber headed window with internal shutters and a C20 4-light window (far right); ground floor a boarded door with voussoired stone arch and two C20 windows to the right. Gable (to left) has external stone stair to granary.

The former Cider House, Granary and Stable range is attached to the NE side of Old Court. SE elevation has gable of two-storey cider house and granary (left) and projecting stable wing (right). Segmental stone voussoired arches to openings. Gable of granary has first floor doorway (without door) and ground-floor doorway with boarded door. Stable is single storey and has plank door with strap hinges (left) and small square barred window opening (right). To the right is long wall of an attached cartshed. NE elevation has projecting gable of stable and cartshed (left), and cider house (right). Stable gable head has blocked opening and, to right, square pitching-hole with boarded shutters. Below is gable of attached cartshed which has a lower roof line. Broad cartshed opening; boarded double-doors with a horizontal grilled ventilation opening above. Cider house has square pitching-loft doorway on upper floor, and boarded door and barred window opening on ground floor.

Interior

SW entrance doorway has wooden frame with segmental arched head, and fine studded door. Lobby doorway is freestone with Tudor arched head and chamfered jambs with broach stops. Hall has chamfered ceiling beams with hollow and fillet (Wern-hir) stops. Massive fireplace with monolithic shouldered lintel and monolithic jambs; chamfered with broach stops. Parlour has early C18 4-panel door with L-hinges. Segmental headed wooden fireplace lintel with ovolo moulding. Chamfered ceiling beams with double ogee moulding have hollow and fillet (Wern-hir) stops. Ceiling has simply moulded cornice, probably mid C17. Doorway to dairy is freestone with four-centred arch; chamfered with run-out stops. Dog-leg stair with landings: square newels with roll moulding at angle have domed caps, reed moulded balusters. First floor has window with 2-light trefoils to former solar. First floor ceiling beams are chamfered with Wern-hir stops. Former attic stair blocked.

Former Cider house and Granary has four bay roof with collar and tie beam trusses, lofted at SE end. Stable roof of 2 bays; central collar truss, formerly lofted.

Reasons for Listing

Highly graded as a fine late medieval manor house with well-preserved C17 interior and attached C17 cider house, granary and stable.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Old Court at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17743507

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)